The Francophonie is essential to the growth of both Canadian and Island society, and ministers responsible will continue to foster its development, says Premier Robert Ghiz, minister responsible for Acadian and Francophone Affairs.
“The Francophonie, in Canada and in Prince Edward Island, is increasingly diverse – and a vital contributor, both provincially and nationally,” Premier Ghiz said. The Francophonie includes members of the Acadian and Francophone community, as well as those who have French as an additional language and those who choose to live in French. There are currently over 17,500 Islanders who self-identify as being bilingual, which corresponds to approximately 13 per cent of the Island population.
At the Ministerial Conference, Premier Ghiz was accompanied by Cynthia Dunsford, MLA for Stratford-Kinlock. On the second day of meetings, Ms. Dunsford spoke to attendees about recent and ongoing projects such as the upcoming provincial consultations, a pilot project on reinforcing the francophone workforce, and the renewal of the French Language Services Act.
Created in 1994, the conference is the only intergovernmental forum bringing together ministers responsible for the Canadian Francophonie. The next meeting will take place on June 26 and 27, 2012, in Edmonton, Alberta. For more information, visit the Conference website www.cmfc-mccf.ca.